Comments on: Seattle city council approves arena; Oilers ownership visits to “evaluate market”

By: jersey77girl

jersey77girl — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 03:06:12 +0000

Maybe the Seattle team can be in the ‘Eastern Conference’ too to ensure poverty stricken owners will be forced spend even more of their < 50% on costly travel, while ensuing their fans [that hold jobs] can't watch their home team's games [live] on TV due to the 4PM [East Coast based] start time for East Coast Games.

Seeing how player salaries are the only area NHL owners see fit to cut costs, I'm sure the extra travel expenses won't bother them.

By: swedeg

swedeg — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 23:53:27 +0000

The league would love to relocate from a metro of a million to a US metro of 3.5. Makes the TV contract worth all that more. Then Edmonton doesn’t have to build a new arena and just host 10 Flames games every year. Alberta Flames, anyone? I could get you a deal on some cool “A” logos….

By: dhagentj

dhagentj — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 18:42:24 +0000

As a Seattlite who desperately wants hockey here, I can honestly say that Edmonton is one of the very last teams I would ever want coming to town, and would frankly consider boycotting any such move. I could understand seeing a struggling team without a real fanbase (though I am holding out for expansion) but bringing the Oilers here would feel akin to what happened to the Sonics.

By: nothanksimdriving123

nothanksimdriving123 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 07:43:34 +0000

Except that I suffered a lamentable bout of transitory cranial vapor-lock and had a Quebec team moving to Arizona instead of to Colorado. Oops.

By: freneticgarfieldfan

freneticgarfieldfan — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 07:26:01 +0000

Until now I thought “talent” brings a team into the playoff

By: blomfeld

blomfeld — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 03:17:27 +0000

@ heynow33 and nothanksimdriving123 …

I know, I know, I know … what the hell was I thinking man ? Anyway, you guys are both right and therefore I stand corrected. In fact, when you think about it, you could almost see the little weasel opening up Dairy Queen franchises in Antarctica, eh ? Nonetheless, our dollar remains above par and so as long as that remains the case, then there’s scant chance of that NY freak allowing any Canadian teams to relocate, right ? The Chattanooga Maple Leafs ? … yeah right, gimme a break !

*** special video selection for the excellent posters called heynow & nothanksimdriving ***

By: greatminnesotasportsmind

greatminnesotasportsmind — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 03:09:58 +0000

I figured the North Stars were a given and pretty obvious.

By: greatminnesotasportsmind

greatminnesotasportsmind — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 03:08:52 +0000

Of course the league will let them relocate. If they can prove Seattle would be profitable over Edmonton, and as we know new arenas generate bigger revenue. It’s all about the bottom line, so no, the board of governors wouldn’t reject the move. Heck, they let the North Stars leave the hockey hot bed of America for the town known for hockey, Dallas.

By: nothanksimdriving123

nothanksimdriving123 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 02:43:22 +0000

For example, there’s no way the Minnesota North Stars would ever move to Texas of all places. No way. Or a Quebec team move to Arizona. No way.

By: jersey77girl

jersey77girl — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 02:15:56 +0000

Note to Seattle:
Perhaps Boston [ http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/10/report-lockout-could-cost-boston-businesses-roughly-1m-per-game/ ] and Nashville [ http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120919/NEWS0202/309190117/Nashville-hook-millions-even-Predators-don-t-play ] can provide some insight on the hidden costs of bringing an NHL lockout to your town..

By: atwatercrushesokoye

atwatercrushesokoye — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 02:01:11 +0000

You mean the Buffalo team that lost $5.6 million in 2010-11? Or the Buffalo team that’s 22nd in the league in team valuation? Or the Buffalo team that says there’s no possible way they could survive if a team were located in Hamilton or another in the Greater Toronto area? Buffalo might be in okay shape but let’s not get carried away here.

By: missthemexpos

missthemexpos — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 01:45:27 +0000

As a fan of Minnesota teams, you should have mentioned the Minnesota North Stars!

By: buffalo65

buffalo65 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 01:43:54 +0000

Buffalo is healthier than most Canadian teams, more talented too.

By: heynow33

heynow33 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 01:25:11 +0000

I don’t wish any teams moves, I just cant stand the “canuck” attitude that EVERYTHING in the sports world revolves around the NHL. They will learn the hard way…nobody cares about hockey. At lease in the USA they will go back to doing what we do during the NHL season. Watching the NFL and college football. The NHL has been dead for decades here.

By: heynow33

heynow33 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 01:21:10 +0000

Never say never!, I know you know it all of course.

By: heynow33

heynow33 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 01:19:57 +0000

Great, the “crack pipe” of the NHL Canada is demanding a “subsidy” to survive!!! LOL!!! They should do a decent blog post here and call it “THE BIG LIE” how hockey is a super money maker in Canada.

By: jimw81

jimw81 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 01:03:12 +0000

owners just resolve their hrr issues.

By: blomfeld

blomfeld — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:55:49 +0000

NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN !

There’s a greater chance of the Montreal Canadiens relocating to Mexico City than there is of the Edmonton Oilers moving to Seattle. In fact, I half suspect that this article is intended just to get a reaction from us Canadians ?

Anyway, it’s almost a given that the NHL is now coming to Seattle, probably sooner than later. However it’s going to be via relocation of an “American” team, not a Canadian one. To use a hospital analogy, you could say that the logical choice would be Phoenix, which is only surviving right now by life-support. Yet out in the hallway of this hospital, there are at least 10-12 additional patients with “life-threatening” injuries who require immediate attention, including but not limited to Dallas, Florida, Nashville, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Columbus, Islanders, Buffalo, Colorado, New Jersey, Carolina, etc. Moving any one of these “sickly” franchises to Seattle would not only save the life of the lucky incumbent, but even more importantly, it would make far more sense for the league as a whole.

Happy 50th Birthday to Seattle’s World Fair ! …

By: takingbovadasmoney

takingbovadasmoney — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:43:08 +0000

@kot……thanks for the minus sign explanation!

By: thenewraoulduke

thenewraoulduke — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:42:34 +0000

Its not the league its the team’s owner. The league probably has nothing to do with it and I doubt they would allow the move anyways. The NHL deserves blame for stuff but not for this.

By: greatminnesotasportsmind

greatminnesotasportsmind — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:24:21 +0000

While I agree, there are other teams that should move before Edmonton, but it’s all part of the game to get a new arena. I promise you it’s going to get a lot worse for Edmonton fans.

As a fan of all Minnesota teams, I’ve seen the Twins be givin up for contraction, sold to a guy in North Carolina who would have moved them there, and every time the state called their bluff and eventually got a new stadium. I’ve seen the Timberwolves sold and relocated to New Orleans before being rejected by the owners, they have major renovations to Target Center coming. The Vikings would not sign another lease at Metrodome until a new stadium passed and it took the NFL’s big wigs to come in and say they would be gone after this year. Now they have a new stadium coming.

Point is, Edmonton fans, relax your in for a bumpy ride. But the payoff is at least 30 more years of Edmonton Oilers and a new shiny arena… Until they want a new one in 2043.

By: kotteintheslot

kotteintheslot — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:20:07 +0000

Btw that little minus sign means negative. Just in case anyone was wondering.

By: kotteintheslot

kotteintheslot — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:18:52 +0000

Oilers 5th in the league in operating income last year with 19.6 million and Phoenix had -24.4. Nah I think this makes a whole lot of sense…..http://www.forbes.com/nhl-valuations/list/#p_1_s_a6_

By: millertime30

millertime30 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:05:39 +0000

Because surely, if any organization in the NHL needs to be relocated, it’s one in Canada.. Not Phoenix. Not the Islanders or one of the teams in Florida..

WHY CAN’T THIS LEAGUE DO ANYTHING RIGHT!?!?!?